How Nigella, Rick and Elvis got me through the menopause

ABOUT THIS BLOG

Two things happened to motivate me to write this blog.
First there was this series of events:
* I started the menopause.
* I quit smoking.
* I started to eat.
* I really got into cooking.
I’d always enjoyed cooking – I was the founding editor of the food lift-out in The West Australian newspaper and along with food writer, Marg Johnson, had a whale of a time.
And then, thanks to the good old Lifestyle Channel, I discovered TV chefs.
This was round about the same time I ditched the red clover and evening primrose supplements and did menopause-cold-turkey in much the same way I’d gone cold turkey with cigarettes.
So Nigella, Rick, Jamie, Hugh, Bill, Kylie, Ina and Martha were all there in the background while I obsessed about vaginal dryness and facial hair; while I worried about not being able to remember where I’d parked the car and why I’d suddenly become invisible to shop assistants.
And while all of that was going on, I turned into a decent cook.
The second thing that happened was that my granddaughter, Amelia, was born.
Amelia is 16 months old at the time of writing (January, 2012). Here is a picture of her.

She is the most wonderful child, very affectionate and intelligent and curious (my apologies if I’ve made her sound like Lassie).
I’m hoping that Amelia’s curiosity will extend to the kitchen and we can spend many happy hours cooking together.
It’s for her that I decided to create What’s in a Name? How Nigella, Rick and Elvis Got Me Through the Menopause.
It’s a blog for the Amelia of the future – a record of the things I make, the things I think and the way I am (basically a Nanna who cooks and swears too much).
And Elvis? We have a tradition in our family that involves me drinking too much alcohol and making things like Rudolph Cupcakes and Echidna Pavlovas.
It’s called Channeling Elvis.

PS: The really good photos on this blog have been taken by my husband, Leith. The rest were taken by me.

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9 Comments on “ABOUT THIS BLOG”

Love the blog so far, i went to uni with kate and she recommended i read this. What a wonderful idea, i am sure Amelia will cherish this blog in the future 🙂 am visiting albany next month! any food or wine suggestions? ( lived there for 8 months a few years back, but i heard things have changed and possibly there have been some much needed updates to cultural type things.. )

Hi Caroline, I’m glad you like it, I was really beginning to miss writing and it seemed a good idea to “chat” to Amelia before I get too senile!
The Wild Duck and Lime 303 (at the Dog Rock Motel believe it or not) are the best as far as restaurants go, but you also have to go to Liberte on the corner of York St and Stirling Tce just for the experience (not a restaurant but a great place to have a drink – sort of shabby French empire with lots of other vintage stuff thrown in).